Tedford Housing’s Response to COVID-19

Tedford Housing

Creating pathways from homelessness to home.

Giving Voice: Housing people during COVID-19

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Giving Voice

The following article was published in The Times Record on 5/8/20 and written by Jennifer Iacovelli, Tedford Housing’s director of development.

A week into our second monthlong stay-at-home order, and it’s hard to get away from the news stories about COVID-19. It has affected our everyday life, personally and professionally, in a way that I’m not sure any of us were ever prepared. The articles from our Giving Voice column have illustrated how Tedford Housing, The Gathering Place, Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program and Oasis Free Clinics have reacted to and adjusted services to meet the needs of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors.

While we have all had to make changes in the way in which we work with our clients, we continue to offer much-needed programs and services. Even while practicing extreme social distancing, Tedford Housing’s overarching goal continues to be to find our clients safe, permanent housing. This feat can be challenging enough without a global pandemic, as our clients have many barriers to break through in the process of finding that pathway from homelessness to home.

We have shared that Tedford Housing’s buildings are closed to the public and staff are working from home as much as possible. Case managers are meeting with clients mostly via phone, email or text. Zoom is used from time to time, but only if the client has the capability of using such an application.

So how does this new, different way of working affect finding housing? For one thing, it slows the already slow process down. Tedford Housing staff aren’t the only ones working remotely. Landlords and property managers may not be in their offices and only checking their email or messages once/day or even once/week. Same thing with the offices that manage housing vouchers. In-person tours of a potential apartment are no longer happening during COVID-19, so everything is done via a camera, including inspections that are required by specific housing vouchers once an apartment is found. Vetting is much more difficult for both landlord and tenant when you lose the ability to be in the same room with a person.

As far as the case managers at our adult and family shelters go, it’s business as usual. They may not be in the office every day during the week, but they continue to work with clients to find apartments, fill out applications and guide our shelter guests through the many steps it takes to get to the point of signing a lease. One of our families moved into an apartment without seeing it first. Though it made the mom a bit uncomfortable, she talked with her case manager about how she could always look at other options in a year if she wasn’t happy with the apartment. The main goal was to move out of the shelter into permanent housing.

Two of what we call long term stayers in our adult shelter and one family in our family shelter have found housing during this difficult time. Being in the shelter for over 300 days, these individuals overcame some big obstacles to sign their leases with the help of their case manager. Moving has become particularly difficult because most of our clients rely on help from friends. With social distancing and restrictions on travel with people other than your household become a challenge. Our partners at Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity’s Restore are temporarily closed, which limits our ability to help clients access the household items they need to furnish their new apartment. We have to take extra precautions with volunteers who help sort and gather donations to fulfill clients’ moving checklists. Once in an apartment, our case managers then “follow” clients for up to 12 months to help ensure a smooth transition. Losing the personal touch of on-site meetings can be tough because you lose the cues that body language can give you if a person is having a hard time. Many of our clients are struggling with isolation, financial stresses and addiction, making it harder to keep people stable and supported via the telephone.

Tedford Housing is making it work during this pandemic, especially our case managers. We are happy to report that people are still being housed even if it takes a bit more time.

Join the #GivingTuesdayNow Movement on May 5, 2020

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People all around the world are coming together on May 5, 2020 to tap into the power of human connection and strengthen communities at the grassroots level. By joining the #GivingTuesdayNow movement, you can help Tedford Housing continue its response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19 for our local residents who are experiencing homelessness.
 
While many other organizations closed or reduced their services in response to the COVID-19, Tedford Housing expanded its services. With safe community spaces closed during the day, it is essential for our adult shelter to be open 24 hours to ensure our guests have a welcoming place to be. This change has meant a lot of new logistics and unbudgeted expenses, like staffing our adult shelter 24 hours and providing three meals per day for our guests. 

While all of Tedford Housing’s buildings remain closed to the public, our shelter staff is still on-site all day, every day to connect our guests to permanent housing and support services. Even while practicing extreme social distancing, our shelter case managers have been able to house people, and our supportive housing and outreach case managers continue to connect with clients via phone, text and email.

The changes we have made to our operations are in the best interest of our guests and staff. It’s been tough, but we are here for the long haul. Dedicated Tedford Housing donors and volunteers like you have stepped up to provide much-needed financial support, meals for our guests, and other donations.

At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Please tell your friends and family why you believe in our work and encourage them to support Tedford Housing too.

Join the #GivingTuesdayNow movement on May 5, 2020. Bookmark our donate link today: https://tedfordhousing.org/donate/. Every gift is important to us and helps us continue to operate during this challenging time. Of course, if you don’t want to wait until May 5, feel free to give today. You can also visit our event page on Facebook.

Thank you for your continued support of Tedford Housing and your dedication to ending homelessness in southern Midcoast Maine.

Sincerely, 

Rota Knott, Executive Director

Giving Voice: It takes a community effort to get through difficult times

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Giving Voice

The following article was published in The Times Record on 4/10/20 and written by Jennifer Iacovelli, Tedford Housing’s director of development.

I am working from home as I write this article, typing away on my laptop in my office. One of my sons is chatting away with his 5th grade “lunch crew” buddies via Zoom, while my other son, a freshman, finishes up baking some sugar cookies. He chose sugar cookies because that’s what could be made with the ingredients available to him right now.

Earlier I drafted a grant proposal, spoke with some shelter meal donors by phone and helped my 5th grader with some math. Soon I’ll take a break to walk the dog and eat a late lunch, which will consist of whatever I have in the kitchen. I guess this is our new normal for the time being.

COVID-19 has changed the way we all work and live. In Tedford Housing’s case, we’ve had to expand our hours rather than decrease our operations. With safe community spaces like The Gathering Place and Curtis Memorial Library closed during the day, it’s essential for our adult shelter to be open 24 hours / day. Because we normally close between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. during the week, this change means a lot of new logistics and expenses that weren’t in our plans. At the very least, it means we need staffing 24 hours at our adult shelter, and we need to feed our shelters guests three meals per day.

In an effort to practice social distancing and to comply with Gov. Janet Mills’ executive order to shelter safely at home, we are spreading staff out as much as possible. Some, like me, are working from home if and when we can. Our supportive housing and outreach case managers are checking in with people via phone, text and email. Tedford Housing’s buildings are closed to the public. Only staff and guests are allowed into our shelters.

Yesterday was my morning to be in the admin office and to deliver lunch to shelter guests. I’ll be back tomorrow in the afternoon. We’ve spread out our staff to cover our “headquarters” so people can still drop off needed donations outside our door on Middle Street during business hours. (Though at this point we are only accepting essential donations that we need right now such as cleaning supplies and paper products.)

Our adult shelter staff are the ones on the frontlines day in and day out. Not only is our shelter open 24 hours, but we also have some guests staying in local hotel rooms so that we can properly practice social distancing. The distance means that food needs to be delivered to two places every day.

Basic needs like food and shelter are absolutely essential right now. Sheltering safely at home only works if you have a home (and one that’s safe). When neighbors need help in times like this, it truly takes a community to provide the basics.

We are thankful to so many donors, volunteers and partners who are helping us to keep operating during this time. Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program is providing lunches Monday – Saturday, while a neighbor is delivering lunch on Sunday. Our regular Meal-A-Month volunteers continue to prepare and deliver dinner every night, leaving the food outside the shelter and ringing the bell to alert staff. The Brunswick School Department has been providing breakfast and lunches during the week for school-aged children and working on technology access for those who may have difficulty with remote learning. A local donor provided handmade masks for Tedford Housing staff who are working at the shelter or delivering meals. Pathway Vineyard Church is continuing its Tuesday night community meal on a take-out basis and bringing some over to the shelter at the end of the night. The Bath YMCA, right down the road from one of our family supportive housing units, is providing free meals for kids. Mid Coast Hospital provided thermometers for guests to track their temperature each day. Supporters have stopped by to drop off cleaning supplies, toilet paper and other essentials outside our admin office door. We appreciate the well wishes through the glass storm door! And we are thankful for the monetary donations coming in from neighbors, local organizations, funders and other supporters to help us with the many unexpected expenses we are incurring during this pandemic.

These are difficult and challenging times for many of us, regardless of socioeconomic background. If this pandemic teaches us anything, it’s that it truly takes a community effort to get through difficult times.

Tedford Housing’s Response to COVID-19

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Tedford Housing

We appreciate those who are reaching out asking how they can help. We continue to post our most immediate needs on our Facebook page. However, a monetary donation would help us offset the expenses we are incurring due to the pandemic and will allow us to continue to provide our critical services to our most vulnerable neighbors in the community. Please donate here if you are able.

Tedford Housing continues to ensure the safety of our guests, tenants, outreach clients, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic by observing enhanced health and wellness protocols at all of our facilities.

We will operate our adult shelter 24 hours a day through May 31, 2020 to ensure our guests have a safe place be while the statewide stay-at-home order remains in place. The adult shelter will not close and guests will not be asked to leave during the daytime as is our typical protocol.

At our adult shelter, family shelter and supportive housing complexes, our guests and residents are asked to continue practicing extreme social distancing with a 6-foot minimum separation as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Case management for our guests and outreach clients will be handled remotely by staff as needed.

In an effort to ensure the safety of our guests, staff, and volunteers, Tedford Housing will continue the following additional protocols:

  • All Tedford Housing offices, shelters, and supportive housing buildings will remain closed to the public.
  • Only staff and guests will be permitted to enter the shelters without permission of the director of operations or executive director.
  • The shelters will not conduct intakes of any new guests.
  • Shelter guests with a fever or other symptoms will be referred for medical care, and must show clearance by a medical professional in order to reenter the shelter.
  • Staff members who have a fever or other symptoms or who have a symptomatic member of their household will be referred for medical care. Staff must show clearance by a medical professional in order to return to work.
  • Non-shelter staff will work remotely as necessary. Access by staff to multiple facilities will be limited.
  • All staff will follow state protocols requiring the wearing of face coverings in public spaces where physical distancing is difficult to maintain when conducting official Tedford Housing business. Tedford Housing facilities are not public spaces.

Tedford Housing may opt to alter its shelter operations at any time. For additional information, contact Rota L. Knott, executive director.

To contribute needed supplies or food, contact Jennifer Iacovelli, director of development, or donate online.

Those who are showing symptoms and do not have a doctor should call the walk-in clinic at 207-406-7500.

Unsheltered Brunswick residents can contact Town of Brunswick general assistance office for help with covering emergency housing costs during the COVID-19 crisis. 207-725-6661.

Nonprofits and Mainers: A Match Made in Heaven

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Giving Voice

The following article was published in The Times Record on 2/14/2020 and written by Jennifer Iacovelli, Tedford Housing’s director of development.

As I sat down to write this article, I realized that it would be published on Valentine’s Day. Whether you celebrate the “holiday” or not, it’s a day that’s supposed to be dedicated to love. From the nonprofit perspective, we are always in need of a little love. We’re often looking for support in the form of donations, time and advocacy for the cause we represent.

Coincidently (or maybe not?), Tuesday February 11th was Nonprofit Day. The Maine Association of Nonprofits (MANP) used the day as a way to educate Mainers about the many contributions nonprofits make to our state. Did you know that 1 in 6 Maine workers are employed by a Maine nonprofit? According to MANP’s Adding Impact report, that translates to over 98,000 nonprofit jobs, $4.7 billion annually in wages and approximately $271 million in personal income tax revenue for our state.

In fact, the nonprofit sector is the 5th largest employer in the state of Maine, with healthcare and social service organizations accounting for about 30% of those jobs and hospitals employing 37% of workers in nonprofit jobs. The third largest piece of the nonprofit pie is education at 18%.

By definition, nonprofits are charitable organizations focused on specific missions that benefit the common good. With so many nonprofits in our state, it makes sense that these organizations would need to rely on individuals to donate money to our programs. And we do. Though Tedford Housing has revenue streams coming from private foundations, United Ways, state and federal grants and income/reimbursements from the programs and services we offer to clients, approximately 17% of our fiscal year 2019 budget came directly from individual donors.

Nonprofits are lucky in that individuals in Maine are generous. According to Maine Philanthropy Center’s Giving in Maine 2019 report for individuals, 21% of all Mainers at just about every income level report charitable giving on their taxes. Since not all giving is reported on tax returns, the report also states that it is estimated that 53% of Mainers donated $25 or more to charity in 2016. Individual giving took up the largest piece of total charitable giving in Maine in 2016 at 65%, with foundations being second at 24%.

The bottom line is that nonprofits depend on individuals like you to support our work in Maine communities. These donations not only help us fulfill our missions, but they also support the overall health of our state’s economy. This Valentine’s Day may be a good day to show a little love to a nonprofit you support. There are certainly a number of wonderful nonprofits to support with a donation just in the town of Brunswick.

If you’re not sure which nonprofit is the best match for you, don’t fret. There are some steps you can take to find that match. As a start, think about the organizations you already interact with. If you already have a relationship with a nonprofit, thank them by taking the extra step to make a donation. Do a simple google search to see which nonprofits are doing work in your town. Be sure to visit the nonprofit’s website to make sure its mission aligns with your core beliefs. You can also research nonprofits and their finances on Guidestar.org. When in doubt, pick up the phone and call a local nonprofit to find out more about their work and what support you could provide that would be most helpful to them. As a director of development, I can say I don’t mind at all when people call to ask questions and show interest in making the most impact with a gift.

Will you show a little love to a nonprofit to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

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PO Box 958, Brunswick ME 04011